Amusement device



Feb. 2,3, 192s. 1,574,201

. E. M. LYNCH AHUSEMENT DEVICE Filed June 25, 1925 sshe'ets-sheem Febo ,-19260 E. M. LYNCH AMUSEMENT DEvrcE Filed June 25, 1,925 s sheets-sheets h INVENToRy .MMM/yz az,

BY M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb.. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES EDW'ARD M. LYNCH, GF BLOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

AM'SEMENT DEVICE.

Application filed June 25, 1925. Serial No. 39,486.

To all ywhom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD M. LYNCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomfield, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement'Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being' had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel construction of amusement device; and the inven tion has reference, more particularly, t0 an amusement apparatus in the form of a basket-ball throwing' game.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel construction and arrangement of amusement device suitable for use in amusement parks, at fairs, and in similar locations; and consists in aV novel construction of basket-ball throwing` game, the same being` arranged so as to be under the control of an attendant or operator, and being adapted to provide players opportunity for testing and exercising' their skill in throwing regulation basket-balls into a basket. A

lith the above-stated object in view, this invention consists in the novel amusement device in the form of a basketball throwing game hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel ar rangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of` ball throwing; frame, made accordingto and embodying; the principles of this invention; Fig'. 2 is a part siderview and part vertical .section of the same; Fig. is a front elevation of the basket member of the game; Fie. l is a side elevation of said basket-member; Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section through said basket-member, taken on line 5-5 in Fig. il;

and Fig. Gis a plan view of a delivering tray for delivering the balls tothe player.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views,to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring' now to said drawings, the novel an'iusement device in the form of a basket-` less resilient or shockabsorbing.;v in characterv w ien struck by throwny balls Ained to the frame work. at the rear of each stall or court, is a Vback-board lll. Supported in connection Vwith each back* board 14, by brackets 15, is a basket consisting' of` a top ring' 16, a bottom ring 17, and interconnecting slats 18, thus providing' a basket open at the top and bottom, and of a depth suflicient to receive a desired number' of basketsballs, e. g. three. The lower end of each basket is braced and secured by a bracket-piece @interconnected between the' same and a cross-bar 20 which is fastened transversely tothe rear of `the framework 10. The lower end of each basket is provided with a normally closed ball retaining means, whereby the balls thrownl into the basket are retained therein until the player has completed the allowed number of throws. This ball retainino means consists of a st0p bar 21 pivoted to said braeket-piece 19 `so that its forward end extends diametric-ally across the lower open end of the basket. The cxtren'iityof the outer end of said stop-bar Q1 islnormally engaged in the receiving slot 92 of a latch piece 28 which is secured to and de ends from the outer side of the basket.

yThe stop-bar 21 is yieldably retained in normal closed relation to the lower open end of the basket by means of a pull-spring 24 which is interconnected between the rear end of the same and one side of the stall in which the basket is located.4 The ball retaining'meaas is provided with convenient means, within the control of the game operloo ator or attendant, for actuating the same at proper times to release the balls lodged in the basket, as will be subsequently more particularly described.

Spaced outwardly from the front of the stalls or courts is a means for determining the position of the player' when making the throws. Preferably this means is placed at distance from the baskets equivalent to the regulation foul penalty :tree throw distance marked in connection with regulation basketball courts. rl`he said player positioning means consists ot a transverse bar or rail which extends between the forward corner posts 26 with which the outer sides ot' the trame l() are connected.

lileneath the basket in each stall or court, and adapted to form the floor ot' the latter is a dmvnwardly and forwardly inclined runway, the same being extended beyond the open front ot the stall or court toward the positioning bar or rail 25. Said runways are formed by extensions 27 'of the frame-work l() which terminate in upright support-ing` postsQS, by a bottom wall or bed 29 supported between the trame-work and its extensions. Said bottom walls or beds .29 may be made of any suitable matei` rial, but are preterablymade of open wire mesh or oi' cord net, as indicated in the drawings, the same being preferably tautly supported by helical springs 30 interconnected between their n'iarginal edges and adjacent portions of the frameavork 10 and its extensions. The outlyingl portion of each runway is bounded on `its sides by side or partition nienibers 3l of similar character, which are supported between the extensions 27 ot the frame-work 10 and similar additional extensions 32 parallel to and vertically spaced a desired height above said extensions 27.

Each. runway terminates shortI ot the positioning bar or rail Q5, and out ot reach ot the players tioned at the latter. Located at the outer end ot each runway is pivoted delivering tray 33 having upstanding peripheral walls 341-. Each tray is attached to a rock bar 35, having journalslt at its respective ends which are pivotally engaged in bearing openings. provided .in theV adjacent uprightsupporting posts The posts 28 are provided with suitably disposed. stops 3T tor supporting said trays 38 in normal horizontal. 'forward extension from the ends otsaid runways, and so that any balls entered in the trays are within the reach ot the player. The rear wall of each tray proieets above the normal level of the runwayv at the outer end of the same, and when the trav is in normal position said' rear wall snps the vballs descending the runway from the latter and entering the tray, thus ,ding the returned thrownballs nit oi3 reach ot the player.v lVhen the game operatoror attendant` desires to deliver a set o't balls to a player 'for an initial or succeeding inning ot' play, he swings the tray upwardly Vvabout its pivotal connection, whereby the rear wall ot the tray is turned out of the'ball obstructing position, and the balls are then permitted to roll into contact with the tray bott-om, whereupon, when the tray is dropped again to normal initial for wardly projecting position, the balls will be retained therein, and thus delivered to the player by being lnought within his reach. i

As above stated, the basket is ot sul'licient size to receive and `retain yall the balls permitted to' be thrown during a single turn or .inningoic play. It ono or more or all ot the balls are lodged in the basket when thrown by the player they are retained therein until released by the gameA operator or attendant. The releasing of the balls irom the basket for deposit in the runway so as toroll down the latter ready for reception by the delivery tray is accomplished by actuatingk the pivoted stop-bar '2l to swing the same way from the bottom ofthe'y basket so thatI the balls may drop thereward pull upon said pull-'cord 38, the gamey operator or attendant will thus swing the retaining stop-bar 2l to open position and thereby release the balls from the basket,

after which, upon relaxing the pull-cord,"

the spring 24T will return the stop-bar 2l to normal initial closed basket.

It will be understood, that the game-apparatus may consist Lot one orany number of stalls'or courts equipped above described,

`so as to accommodate one or more players. in the drawings, the apparatus is shown as providing six courts, but such number may be increased or decreased as may be desired.

In mal-:ing use of thegame a player positions himseltl at the bar or rail 25, opposite a vacant stall or court,` and the attendant thereupon tips up the delivering` tray 33 so that the three balls are entered therein, and thus placed within reach of the player. The player now takes the balls,'one at a time, and throws the same toward the basket at the back 'of the court at which he is stationed. A ny ball successfully thrown b v the player Said pull-cord 38 is provided at' relation to the fie remains in the basket. A ball which misses the basl-:et falls upon the runway bottom `29 and rolls down to the forward end of the saine, ready to be entered in the tray, when the latter' is actuated. After all the balls are thrown, the inning ends, and the players score noted by the attendant, and, if desired, a prize proportioned to the score is awarded to the player. After the inning 0f play is conipleted, the attendant actuates the stop-bai' 2l torelease an)T balls lodged within the basket, whereupon said balls are deposited on therunway and returned to the front end thereof. It the saine player desires to play again, or a new player is ready to take his place, the attendant again manipulates the delivery tray to deposit the balls therein ready to the hand of the player tor renewed play.

From the above description it will be quite evident that the game provides an interesti ing amusement, and a real test of skill in throwing the balls lt will also be evident thatpthe gamefis so constructed and arranged as to be easily under control of the operator or attendant at all times, so that promiscuous or unauthorized throwing about of the balls can not occur, and only proper plays are permitted. j I

As changes of construction could be made wit-hin the scope of this invention, it is intended that all matter contained inthe toregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illust 1at-ive and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my inventon, I

' l. An amusement device utilizing basketballs, comprising a stall formed by resilient back and side walls, a back-board in the rear oi' said stall, a vertical open ended has,

ket mounted adjacent to said back-board, an inclined ball-return runway extending trom beneath said basket and outwardly from'said stall, and a player positioning rail spaced from said stall and its runway.

2. An amusement device utilizing basketballs, comprising a` stall formed by resilient back and side walls, a back-board in the rear of said stall, a vertical open ended bas- Y 8. An amusement device utilizing basketballs, comprising aistall termed by resilient mounted adjacent to said back-board, movf able means Ytor normally retaining within said basket balls lodged therein, lmeans for releasing said retaining means, and a ballreturn runway extending from beneath said basket and outwardly from said stall.

' 4. An amusement device utilizing basketballs, comprising a'stall formed by resilient back and side walls, a back-board in the rear 4ot said stall, a vertical open ended basket mounted adjacent to said back-board, movable means tor normally retaining within said basket balls lodged therein, means for releasing said retaining means, a ball-return runway extending from beneath said basket and outwardly from said stall, a player positioning rail spaced from said stall and its runway, and means normally adapted to retain said returned balls in said runway, said means being manipulatable toreceive and deliver said balls for use.

5. An amusement device utilizing basketballs, comprising a stall formed `by resilient back and side walls, aback-board in the rear of said stall,a vertical open ended basket mounted adjacent to said. back-board, movable means for normally retaining within said basket balls lodged therein, means 'for releasing said retaining means, a ball-returny runway extending from beneath -said basket and outwardly from said stall, a delivery tray pivoted transversely ot the outer end Vof said runway, the rearward side of which normally serves to retain returned balls in said runway, said tray when upwardly swung being adapted to receive said balls, and when again returned to normal position to deliver the same within reach ot a player at said positioning rail.

6. An amusement device utilizing basketballs, comprising a stall, an open ended basket mounted at the back ot said stall, a ballreturnrunway beneath said basket, a player positioning rail Voutwardly spaced from said stall and its runway, a delivery tray pivoted transversely at the outer end ot' said runway, tlie rearward side of which normally serves to retain returned balls in said runway, said tray when upwardly swung being adapted to receive said balls, and when again returned to normal position to deliver the same within reach ot' a player at said positioniiig rail. i

7. An amusement device utilizing basketballs, comprising a stall, an open ended vertical basket mouiited at the back ot said stall, movable means tor normally retaining within said basket balls lodged therein, means for releasing said retaining means,k a ball-return runway beneath said basket, "a player positioning rail outwardly spa-.ced from Said again returned to normal position to. deliver stall and its runway, n delivery tray pivoted the same Within reach of a player at said transversely at the outer end of Said runpositioning rail.

Way, the rearward side of which normally In testimony that I claim the invention serves to retain returned balls in said runset forth above I have hereunto set my hand Way, said tray whenv upwardly swung being this 23rd clay of June, 1925. adapted to receive said balls, and when EDVARD M'. LYNCH. 

